Commons
Debate
23 February 2026
Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving
It is good that the White Paper recognises the need to develop systems to help with early identification, including Best Start hubs, the phonics screener, and schools sharing best practice. However, that will not be enough, so what steps will the Secretary of State take to research, develop and fund…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 February 2026
9 contributions
New Medium Helicopter Programme
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the future of the New Medium Helicopter programme.
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank the Minister for coming to answer pressing questions. I recognise how hard he and his team work and the headache that we must be …
I agree that we need action. We need to ensure that we arm our forces with the correct equipment now. By contrast, not awarding the contract is lose, lose, lose, particularly for my constituency.
The future of the new medium helicopter is the future of Yeovil. Leonardo has been clear that if the pr…
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 February 2026
Independent Water Commission: Final Report
Last year, bosses of Wessex Water received £50,000 in extra pay—more than many people in Yeovil earn in a year—from the parent company, while constituents in Ilminster report that they cannot swim in their rivers without risking getting sick. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government must now en…
Commons
Westminster Hall
10 February 2026
2 contributions
Young Children’s Screen Time
As someone who is dyslexic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, I used my phone quite a lot at school. I was also bullied quite badly, and my phone was a release. Unfortunately, the Conservatives cut the youth services in Somerset that saved my life by 100%. Does the hon. Member agree t…
I thank the Minister, as always, for replying to me. Only 18% of dyslexics have access to assistive technology. I know that she is passionate about getting that changed, so are we on the right road to get more assistive technology into our education system for dyslexics?
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 February 2026
Postal Services: Rural Areas
Royal Mail staff in my area tell me that, apart from having to focus on first-class post, a big cause of the delays is poor recruitment, which leads to unachievable workloads. Does the hon. Member agree that it is no surprise that our rural post service is struggling when Royal Mail officers and pos…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 February 2026
Educational Outcomes: Disadvantaged Boys and Young Men
About 90% of children in higher-income households can get a dyslexia diagnosis when needed, compared with only 43% in lower-income households. Does the hon. Member agree that not identifying neurodiversity has a huge impact on education outcomes for disadvantaged young boys and, to start changing th…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
2 February 2026
Support for Defence SMEs
Does the Minister recognise that many small and medium-sized enterprises in the defence sector are supported by bigger defence firms? Companies such as Honeywell operate on the Leonardo site in Yeovil. Does he therefore accept that, if bigger defence firms such as Leonardo cannot get contracts like …
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 January 2026
Defence Industry: Environmental, Social and Governance Requirements
Defence firms such as Leonardo in Yeovil are happy to invest in environmental and social products. Leonardo has invested heavily in Yeovil college and entertainment venues and is building its own solar farm—but does the hon. Member agree that, if defence firms are to meet those obligations, the Gove…
Commons
Westminster Hall
28 January 2026
Local Authority Children’s Services
Somerset council tells me that providers of residential homes for children in care can charge as much as £8,000 to £15,000 per week for one child, because they know that the council will have no other choice. Somerset council, however, is making good progress with its non-profit Homes and Horizons p…
Commons
Westminster Hall
20 January 2026
2 contributions
ADHD Diagnosis
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz. I declare interests as vice-chair of the ADHD all-party parliamentary group, and as someone with ADHD. I congratulate the hon. Member for Sefton Central (Bill Esterson) on securing this important debate. It is good to hear and see so many Membe…
I completely agree. We have seen this issue across the board with lots of conditions, and I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning it.
Higher diagnosis rates over recent years reflect greater awareness, not an overdiagnosis crisis. As someone with severe ADHD, I can tell Members the life-changing diff…
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 January 2026
Factored Energy Arrangements: Pricing
I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. Business owner Gary Helliar, from Yeovil, signed an energy contract through a broker who convinced him that energy prices were going to rise to 35p per kilowatt and that the 15p kilowatt was a great deal. Energy prices have fallen below that, but Gar…
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 January 2026
Ajax Programme
The new medium helicopter contract has reportedly been delayed. We now risk losing the site at Yeovil if the contract is not awarded by March. Does my hon. Friend agree that such delays to contracting are undermining our national and economic security, and that the new medium helicopter contract mus…
Commons
Debate
13 January 2026
Finance (No. 2) Bill
Gareth, who runs the Cow & Apple in Yeovil, has told me that he feels that the assessments and consultations on how the proposals in the Finance (No. 2) Bill will impact the viability of the rural hospitality sector were not good enough. Does my hon. Friend agree that that is why we need to pass…
Commons
Oral Questions
13 January 2026
Topical Questions
Access to mental health services in rural communities is a challenge when services are stretched and underfunded. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to improve access to mental health services in Yeovil?
Commons
Proceedings
12 January 2026
2 contributions
New Medium Helicopter Contract
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the delays to the awarding of the new medium helicopter contract and the potential closure of Leonardo helicopter site in Yeovil.
Thank you again, Mr Speaker, for granting me this urgent question. I also thank the Minister for his response.
Leonardo in Yeovil, the home of British helicopters since 1915, has been the only bidder for the UK’s £1 billion new medium helicopter contract for over a year now. It is clear that the cu…
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare
Play therapy services in Yeovil that support adopted children and those in kinship care are struggling due to cuts to the adoption and special guardianship support fund. Services have been reduced and therapists like Lilly have gone months without being paid. Does the hon. Member agree that that sit…
Commons
Debate
9 December 2025
Railways Bill
Too many rural railway stations are not accessible for disabled people. Without support staff, constituents in Yeovil have had serious accidents at railway stations. Although the Government’s accessibility priorities, which we are debating today, are welcome, does my hon. Friend agree that we need a…
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
The topic of today’s debate is investment and renewal, but that is not what people in Yeovil are thinking about after this Budget. For my constituents, including many local business people who came to meet me yesterday, this is the “Why bother?” Budget. “Why bother?”, people in Yeovil ask after the …
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
26 November 2025
Engagements
Q6. I hope the Prime Minister will agree with me that the defence industry in Somerset is a key engine for growth, jobs and innovation. Leonardo in Yeovil is making fantastic progress with the Proteus uncrewed helicopter, but the future of that project, thousands of jobs at the site in Yeovil and th…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
25 November 2025
G20 and Ukraine
Will the Prime Minister reassure my constituents that he will oppose any peace deal that rewards Russia for its aggression, whether that means carving up Ukraine’s territory or allowing Russia to join the G7? If Putin gets what he wants, this will never end.
Commons
Westminster Hall
25 November 2025
Level 7 Apprenticeships
Investment in level 7 apprenticeships is so important. Does my hon. Friend agree that we also need to keep up investment in vocational education facilities, and will she join me in congratulating Yeovil college, which has been awarded more than £2 million in Government funding to upgrade its enginee…
Commons
Westminster Hall
19 November 2025
3 contributions
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Wells and Mendip Hills (Tessa Munt) for securing this vital debate and for her campaigning on this issue. In the brief time I have today, I will share the story of Iona, who was finally diagnosed wit…
I agree. It is really important that the Government provide more support for ME, because it affects the lives of a lot of people.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 November 2025
Flood Risk and Flood Defence Infrastructure: North-west England
Flooding is a huge issue in south Somerset. Does my hon. Friend agree with the Somerset Rivers Authority and me that the Environment Agency’s plan to stop maintaining small rivers and streams due to Government funding cuts will only increase the risk of flooding?
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 November 2025
7 contributions
Support for Dyslexic Pupils
I beg to move,
That this House has considered support for dyslexic pupils at school.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Butler. I start by thanking the Backbench Business Committee for granting this debate and hon. Members from across the House for supporting it. I thank all the…
I totally agree, and I will come to that later. The hon. Member has probably seen my ten-minute rule Bill about getting support, and I ask him to sign it.
The biggest problem is identifying dyslexia. Although three children in an average class likely have dyslexia, four in five dyslexic pupils leav…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 November 2025
Curriculum and Assessment Review
I welcome many of the changes the Government have brought forward. The review highlighted the attainment gap for people with SEND at school. To close that gap, will the Secretary of State commit to universal screening for neurodivergence, and to more teacher training on the subject for those teachin…